Hockey: Cooper secures Whitchurch maximum break

Whitchurch go into the mid-season break heading the challengers for membership of the English National Leagues as the only contenders on maximum points, seven ahead of Taunton Vale.

The Welsh champions, who had a one-season stint in the National League a few years back, secured their present position in the Gerrards West Premier Division with an impressive 7-3 win against Gloucester City. Their Welsh international, Ollie Cooper, scored a hat trick and Alex Keating netted twice.

In the Printwize East, Crostyx are seven points ahead of Cambridge University. In the South, Old Georgians rounded off the first half with a 5-3 win against Beckenham, in which James Tindall scored three times to take his total to 24. The Old Boys are two points ahead of Purley Walcountians.

In the DTZ Midland Premier, Leek suffered their first defeat, losing 2-1 to Shrewsbury, who lie third, two points behind but with an inferior goal difference to Harborne, who thumped Northampton Saints 12-0. In the other Men's Regional, Sheffield University Bankers are five points clear.

In the women's leagues, Worcester Norton are four points ahead in the Midlands. In the East, Letchworth and Ipswich are joint leaders, as are Ben Rhydding and Timperley in the North. Epsom lead the South by a couple of points, with St Austell three points clear in the West.